Life happens. Prepare for the sequel everyone's been waiting for. I'm back and ready to give you what you want. ENTIRE STORY REVAMP. New Chapter DAILY. Read and review and above all else, please enjoy my faithful readers.

The man opened the door to his home, hungry and exhausted he made his way to the living room where his wife sat in wait. She spotted him and smiled at his appearance. Tiredly he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and resumed to detaching his military grade boots from his feet.

"Hey, have you ever seen this show before?" asked his wife.

The man turned his to head to the television and what he saw made his heart tighten.

It was Vandread.

"Yeah, when I was younger. What are you doing watching that? I didn't think you were into Anime?" he said to her.

"Usually you're right but I don't know, I like this show, it's cute and it makes me think of when we first met," she replied.

The man remembered how this same show inspired his imagination and ate away at his creative nature. Forgetting his exhaustion he climbed to his computer and hastily clicked at an old word processor.

"What are you doing?" asked his wife.

"Writing," he told her.

"What for? Its almost midnight,"

"I owe them this much, I just hope they can forgive me,"

"Who?"

The man looked at her, a apologetic smile on his face, "The people who once loved my stories,"

In a dark room aboard the Nirvana, Hibiki sat on his cot with his eyes staring at the countless diagrams that littered the walls. He traced each and every path they had taken in his mind and each one resulted in failure. The thought of giving up hovered over him for some time but his determination as a man simply forbade the action from going through. He needed to find her. He refused to believe she was gone. He buried his face in his hands and let out a groan of frustration. It's been far too long.

"Hey,"

He turned to find Barnette standing at his doorway, he was so into his thoughts he hadn't heard his door slide open.

He turned away, "What's going on? Is everything alright topside?"

"Yeah, but the crew is worried about you. You barely leave this room and we've been wandering aimlessly. There haven't been attacks in about a year and the crew is restless."

"Yeah, I know. I hate to break it to you but there's nothing for us really to do. I just…"

"Want to find Dita?"

He said nothing as he already knew there was no reason to. Everyone knew the reason why they were traveling to random galaxies and that was to find Dita. He didn't want to admit it but it was his way of keeping hope alive. The crew had given up the search long ago and he felt it was irresponsible to lead an entire ship on his own regard.

Barnette sat beside him, "Listen, I understand what you're feeling. We all lost someone, not just you. I think it's time we move on."

"I… I can't." he said.

"It took the two of you to realize how close men and women are meant to be. Life moves on even if you're not ready to. I learned that from you. I don't want to see you like this anymore, Hibiki. Please, smile for me."

He looked at her, unsure of what to say or do. He had forgotten how to smile, his cocky attitude had died a long time ago and he felt like he was just an empty shell of what he once was. Looking at Barnette he could see the feminine allure he once saw in Dita. He could see her round face and dreamy eyes.

She placed her hand under his chin and drew him in placing her lips on his. They sat in a kiss for a moment before Barnette pulled away softly a look of pleasant happiness on her face. Hibiki could only stare, unable to establish his head in the right place.

"When you have a moment come up to the conservatory. I'll be there." she said.

He watched her leave his room, the door sliding shut concealing him in a veil of darkness.

Hibiki wandered the passageways his mind swimming in countless thoughts. The taste, her lips… it was the only thing he could think of. But guilt was lying in wait for him. He couldn't bring himself finally giving up on Dita, he couldn't do it but his feet were constantly aiming him for the conservatory. His inner man tempted and teased but he refused. His heart was a battleground and his mind was raging war.

He continued down the hall and passed by the sick bay where he heard odd sounds from one of the rooms. Curious he placed his ear against the door of suspect and could hear someone.

"Hey, we shouldn't be in here. Someone might find us,"

"Everyone is in engineering bay, we should be fine,"

It was odd hearing Duelo and Parfet spending so much time together. He then realized how different it was when he and Dita had gotten together. Guess it was to be expected. He eventually wandered into the conservatory, the magic of stars hovered overhead cascading a brilliant light across the trees and fountains. He looked around and noticed no one and was just about to turn to leave when he heard a cough nearby. He looked closer and spotted someone sitting at the fountains edge, their face hidden by darkness.

"For a moment I thought you weren't going to show,"

"Look, I don't know what's going on but I have a bad feeling about this," said Hibiki shoving his hands into his pockets. Barnette stood and walked over to him, Hibiki caught sight of her and could feel his stomach fall as her silhouette was no longer forged by her battle suit but instead with jean shorts and a summer blouse. In her hair sat a long pink flower and her lips highlighted with a hue of pink, her eyes wielding a light shade of violet and her scent flowing from her neck.

"What are you dressed like that?" he asked feeling the urge to turn around. She smiled as she took his hand and placed it gently on her cheek.

"Look at me just the way you once looked at her," she said to him.

"I don't get it, why?" he found himself saying.

She placed her hand behind his neck and drew him close and to her surprise his resistance was low, "Because I feel something around you I've never felt with anyone else. Not even Jura."

Hibiki found the will to retreat slightly, "This isn't right. I don't even know where all this is coming from. Yesterday you were just fine, what gives?"

She stared at him, the look of confusion spread liberally over her face: "I don't want to see you sad anymore. Don't you get it? I can't stand to see you upset for someone we both know isn't coming back!"

Barnette cupped her mouth once she realized the severity of her words. Hibiki stared but he could feel his fist clench tightly in pure anger. He turned and ran down the passageway ignoring Barnette's calls.

"Hibiki! Wait, please!"

But it was too late.

He disappeared into the bowels of the ship.

Dita sat in quiet contemplation. She wasn't used to being so quiet but in her situation it paid to be pensive. She quietly flipped through holographic screens as she pressed nodes and summoned more screens to her. She worked in the administrative section of a machinery factory on the planet Gunzo. It had been a while before she could find work. When she awoke in the desert she was confronted by a militia who quickly questioned her citizenship. She couldn't remember anything and couldn't grant any information prior but due to some miraculous glitch in the planet's system the main civilian computers registered her friendly. Not too long after that she was offered a job at the closest weaponry facility after mechanics spotted her helping a local with his own mech. One thing led to the other and she found herself here. Her memories of what happened prior remained a mystery but she knew she lived a life before this one but there was nothing in her head that could dig up those hidden memories.

"Hey, your done for today. Go home," said a rough voice.

Dita flinched, "Yes… yes sir."

She grabbed her belongings and sat up from her chair, looking around she realized everyone had already left. She was so caught up in her mind she must have over clocked. She sighed, they didn't pay overtime either. She slung her bag over her shoulder and headed down the hall glancing out the window and at the setting sun. It was nice evening, a walk home wouldn't be too bad she thought. She entered the main atrium and began her trek to the elevator. She turned and found herself staring at a darkened figure standing at the opposite end of the hall.

"Um, are you lost? Can I help you?" she asked.

The dark figure said nothing but continued to stand there.

Dita felt uneasy as she went back the way she came to find a detour. She made several more turns before seeing the figure again.

Something's wrong, she thought, this person was there for her. She turned on her heel and darted away hoping to outrun whatever she thought was chasing her. She found an old emergency evacuation vent and without hesitation she forced the door open and slipped inside. She pressed her ear against the door listening for any footsteps but none could be heard. She tried to slow her breathing but her heart was racing with fear. Who would be chasing her? She was already a ghost in the system, who would want her?

"You think you can run?" hissed a voice.

Dita froze as she slowly turned her head to find a pair of dark eyes staring at her. She scrambled to escape but she felt her body lunge forward into the door. A sharp and devastating pain erupted around her head where she felt something warm fall between her eyes.

"You think you can just forget about me like a bad dream?"

She felt her body slam into the walls of the room repeatedly by an invincible force. All she could hear was an disembodied voice. Finally she was dropped onto the ground, she couldn't even cry because her jaw would not open. Her eyes bled tears as she crawled out of the room in dire pain. From the corner of her eye she could see a pair of windows leading to the city. Surely, someone would see her and help her. She forced herself onto her feet and made a beeline to the window but before she could reach it something swept her feet from underneath her. She fell hard onto the floor, her face hitting harshly against the ground, blood trailed as she was dragged back into the darkness. She desperately tried to scream but all that came out was a groan followed by a flow of blood.

"Someone save me," she thought.

"No one will save you…" said the voice. "Not even Hibiki."

Hibiki…

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